92 THE BRITISH APPROACH TO POLITICS

quite different character from that so far examined. It is social,
rather than political,, though distinguished from what are usually
called "social services" because it does not require large spending.
It can be grouped under two headings:—

(i). FACTORY ACTS. The I9th century added many
of these to the Statute Book. They were first concerned with
limiting the hours of work for women and young people, since
the belief in laissez-faire prevented any interference with the
liberty of a growjx man to work as long as his employer requked
him. Even to-day, regulation of hours for all workers is rare.
Later Acts laid down conditions of work intended to secure the
health and safety of workers, and the whole system was extended
from factories to smaller workplaces and to shops. The inspectors
under these Acts are appointed by the Home Office, and the
Home Secretary is responsible both for seeing that the law is
kept and for planning the changes in it which industrial progress
makes possible—though here his work borders on that of the
Minister of Labour. The Factory Acts will only work properly
if both employers and workers understand their purpose and
are prepared to help: the object of the Home Office Industrial
Museum in Horseferry Road is to illustrate the best methods
of making machinery safe, and the most frequent causes of
accident and ill-health among workers.

(ii) PUBLIC WELFARE. This title has to be vague in order
to cover a list of activities ranging from the enforcement of laws
against cruelty to animals, to regulating'the contribution to charity
from Sunday cinema performances. A good deal of this work is
carried on by local authorities and magistrates—for example,
the licensing of dog-racing tracks and public housfes—but
questions ill Parliament on these topics will be addressed to the
Home Secretary. The latest addition is the Air Raids Precautions
Department: this also intends to work through the local authori-
ties, though the nature of the task will make a good deal of
central control necessary.

3. Status of the Home Office. The Home Secretaryship used